Friday, June 29, 2007

This week I visited the Asphalt Green health center in Upper East Side and I tried the toning ball pilates. Visit http://www.asphaltgreen.org/ for more information. This is a non-profit health center for everyone!

Score cardFacilities: 7/10Due to renovations to various sections of this massive health center that almost covers a block or two in Upper East Side, it may look messy. The pilates class was on the fifth floor but the changing room was on the first. You need a locker but towels are given for free. I will give 10/10 for the amazing view of the fifth floor: facing the river and the blue sky, another reason to work out.

Variety of classes: 10/10Plenty of classes to choose from: Total body training, various yoga types and pilates classes to cycling, total body tune-up and latin jazz aerobics. But this is not all. The center offers adult aquatics classes and plenty of programs for kids. An excellent choice for the whole family, if you live in the neighborhood.

Rate of difficulty: 8/10The Toning ball pilates seemed easy in the beginning. I also felt that it was similar to the pilates with the ball. However, I was rather wrong. It wasn’t the most challenging pilates class but difficult enough. You had to fit the two small in size but relatively heavy balls in various parts of your lower and upper body while following the pilates movements and also maintain your balance. That wasn’t easy. At the end, I felt exercised and my legs were burning. Not bad for a 50-minute class. I wouldn’t mind going back to re-take it.

EVENTS

New York

Where and When:Centerpoint Yoga Studio324 Lafayette, 7th floor, New York, New York Saturday, June 30th, 12:00PM-3:00PMCost: $95

Urban Goddess RenewalA juicy afternoon retreat dedicated to celebrating beauty, passion and pleasure. Come explore and heal the blocks which prevent you from embracing your own beauty. Connect with the energy of Hawaiian volcano goddess Pele to ignite your own inner flame and radiate like the gorgeous goddess you truly are. You e will enjoy beautifying raw cuisine (including raw chocolate!) goddess inspired yoga, booty shaking, and goddess goody bags filled with sensual treats to tease the senses. You will leave feeling ripe, juicy, fabulously feminine and ready to radiate beauty on your own terms!

Saturday, June 23, 2007

I often ask myself what bugs me mostly in New Yorkers. Is it their rudeness, their naivety, their snobbishness or just lack of class? After serious thinking and self-reflexion, I realized that the only thing that really bugs me - a lot - is the fact that New Yorkers do not have a sense of time. As if they don’t want to grow up.

Being a guest of various parties in the Big Apple, I often face the inevitable. I can’t tell people’s age. Every single human being residing in NYC, is dressed pretty much in the same way: pair of jeans, tee-shirt, sneakers or flats. A few exceptions will be women’s flowery dresses in numerous venues but rather the cheap choice: Gap/Banana Republic/Urban outfitters etc. Is that a sign that they don’t want to grow up and move to the next level of adulthood? Maybe it’s their financial situation that does not allow them to buy designers or slightly more expensive outfits. In any case, the outcome is that everybody looks the same: new world second-life avatars in real time.

After the clothes, which is the physical indication of the “I don’t want to grow up process”, comes the lifestyle. Is it acceptable, if not normal, for all of them, citizens of NYC to have the same lifestyle? To do, at 45, the same things you were doing at 25 and 35? Aren’t all of them tired of the parties and gallery openings, same kind of clubs and restaurants, same taste for food even? Don’t they want to do something different, to experience new things, the pleasures of each decade or age? To my eyes, a 75-year old should spend some time with his grand-children in the park, not being drunk (or stoned) in Upper East Side parties late at night. “But this is how I remain young” a male in his late 40s told me the other week. “I want to socialize with young people and have fun”.

I am not against it. I never supported the view that you should stay in and watch TV at a later age. But respecting your age and what it comes with it, it’s not only growing-up. It’s accept yourself as a decent human being who has a variety of tastes, changeable with time. You may not watch boring TV but sharing an in-house cooked meal with the closest few friends that you thoroughly enjoy, is a gracious choice. Maybe not for a 25-year old but definitely for a someone who is approaching retirement.

But I said it. New Yorkers don’t like time and ageing. Stopping the time with the same pair of jeans, or tee-shirts might be a viable and cheap option. After all, botox will not be necessary– they will never age.

Attend a book-signing party for the great new book Fly Solo: The 50 Best Places on Earth for a Girl to Travel… Join us and Teresa Rodriguez Rodriguez Williamson, authoress of the book, at Jurlique boutique on Thursday, June 28th, 6:30–8.30 pm. Guests can buy a copy of her book and get a mini-facial for FREE. Light snacks will be served. And we’ll be raffling off amazing skincare products.

Event Name: inspired media - adobeWhen: 6:00 PM, Tuesday 26 June 2007Where: United KingdomIn an effort to mix the best British traditions of the Pub and Film, Adobe is pleased to invite you to join us for some 'first hand insights' from leading industry creatives. There will be networking and drinks! Who should attend? Anyone who wants to learn more about Industry standard digital imaging and video tools - featuring the full Adobe Product range. Creative experts will share how they make show packages, promos, music videos, DVD reels as well as their film compositing and editing techniques.Programme:6.00pm - 7.00pm: Registration and networking7.00pm - 8.15pm: Presentation by Spencer Friend and Reuben Sutherland followed by Q&A8.15pm: Drinks and networking9.30pm: Close.

Monday, June 11, 2007

Last week I had my very first ballet class. I visited the Gold’s gymhttp://www.goldsgym.com: Visit the website for various locations

Score card

Facilities: 8/10

The gym (I visited the one on Broadway and 7th Avenue), was a three-store gym with plenty of space, exercise classes and training machines. The changing room was clean and relatively spacious, towels were given for free and you had plenty of shower gel, mouthwash and hand cream for the after-class grooming! You need to have a locker. There is also a juice bar if you crave an energy smoothie.

The 60-minute ballet barre class was my very first one. And I have to admit, it was challenging. First, because ballet is not an easy exercise. Second, because you need to know the positions and movements, all of them in French. After a few plies, ecartes and effaces, your legs will start burning. If you practise pilates, you will find some of the movements easy or at least, familiar. But overall, it is an extremely difficult exercise, that requires balance, stamina and grace. Not to mention that it will be a good refresher for your French!

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Have a complimentary tall, iced coffee from Starbucks tomorrow June 6th between 10 am and noon - Visit any Starbucks in New York metropolitan area and enjoy!

London

Chocolate TastingWhen: 6:00 PM, Wednesday 6 June 2007Demarquette - Fine Chocolates, 285 Fulham Road, Chelsea, London SW10 9PZMeet at Last's first Chocolate Tasting evening...Meet at Last invite you to discover London's finest hand-made chocolate creations by British chocolatier Marc Demarquette.At Demarquette we pride ourselves on offering you the highest quality chocolate, which we hand make using traditional artisan techniques in our West London Chocolaterie. Our chocolate is created for one thing: pleasure, and it will bring a touch of it to any occasion. Spice up your after dinner chocolates with your corporate logo, or really remind your wedding guests of the occasion with a unique flavour created just for you. Our delicious selection of hand-made chocolates, from classic favourites to exotic treats, are all made from only the finest ingredients money can buy. Join us for an evening with a difference in one of London's finest chocolaterie* introductory talk* chocolate tasting* reception drinks* goodie bag* talk from fabulous chocolatier Marc DemarquettePrice £35.00http://www.meetatlast.com/party.php?partyid=260&affid=21

Prospective Members Drinks - Phoenix Artist ClubWhen: 6:30 PM, Thursday 7 June 2007Where: United KingdomThe Phoenix Artist Club, 1 Phoenix Street, Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0DTNearest Tube : Tottenham Court Road Opposite Blackwells Bookstore & next to Phoenix TheatreJoin LTRC at the Phoenix Artist Club for some drinks and general socialising with a mixture of members and prospective members some of whom may be looking to join LTRC on the night.You can read about the event and register to attend here: http://mosaic.soflow.com/NewEvent/19615a115b31

Limited facilities for a gym with such a fancy name! It is admittedly a large health center with a 75-foot atrium swimming pool with sundeck, cardio equipment and various exercise classes. As I arrived early, I explored the center but I found myself lost somewhere on the deck and couldn’t go back. Luckily, I met someone who helped me find my way back to the exercise room. The women’s changing room was clean but small, you have to pay $1 for a towel (something I consistently refuse to do) and you need to have your own locker.

Variety of classes: 9/10

There are 80 fitness classes per week so there is plenty of choice: From Power Cardio Sculpt to Theatre Jazz, Sharqui Belly Dance, Power Yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates, Bosu Bar/Glide, Core Power, Spinning, Express Abs, Alexander Technique, Funky Aerobics and many more!

Rate of difficulty: 6/10

The 90-minute pilates mat class wasn’t particularly challenging for a pilates addict. It was more of a stretch class with pilates elements. The pace was slow so were the movements. I felt relaxed at the end and I didn’t realize how the time flew so quickly. It was a good class for a Sunday morning. I just wonder how I will be feeling tomorrow!